FINANCE AND TRADE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4082, 21 June 1900, Page 6

FINANCE AND TRADE.

The Customs returns for yesterday amounted to £1134 8s lid.

Several cablegrams have been received by mercantile houses in this pity announcing an extremely sharp . rise in the price of currants, owing to reports having been received from Greece as to the crop having been almost ruined by insect pests. The result is that the price to-day has been advanced to 5d per lb., which means a jump of at least Id per lb. on the wholesale rates.

WOOL SALES.

PRESS ASSOCIATION. (Received June 20, 10.40 p.ru.) SYDNEY, June 20. For the opening of the local wool sales between two and three thousand bales wore catalogued. A largo proportion was withdrawnl‘“ There was a big drop in prices—2o of 30 per cent, compared with the closing fates at tno March sales.

AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE MARKETS

' SYDNEY, June. 20. Wheat-Milling, 2s 7dl to 2s 8d ; chick, 2s 21 dto 2s sd. I'lour, £6 to £6 10s; Manitoban, £9 5s to £9 10s. Oats—Prime New Zealand, feeding, is Id to 2s 2d. Barley—Capo, 2s 2d to 2s 4,d; English, 2s 3d to 2s rid. Maize, prime, 2s ua. Bran, 7-1 dto Bd. Pollard, Bicl to B>d. Peas, Prussian!blue, 3s 2d to 3s 3d. Potatoes, £2 5s to. £2 10s. Onions —Prime New Zealand, £3 to £3 10s; Victorian, £3 10s to £4. Butter, scarce—Creamery, Is. Cheese > —New Zealand, prime, medium sized, 6d to 6Jd; loaf, 6Jd. Bacon, New Zealand; flitches, 5 1 d to 5;Jd. The: 1 above quotations are those ruling between merchant and retailer, and do riot represent the slightly lower « values obtained by recognisd broker. MELBOURNE. Juno 20. Wheat, firm, 2s 9d. Flour. £6 to £6 ss. Oats—Algeriari, Is lOd to 2s 2d; stout white, 2s 2£d. Barley, malting; 2s to 3s 3d. Maize, prime, 2s 3d. Bran, lOd. Pollard, lUir: Potatoes, £1 5s to £2. Onions, £2 15s to-£2 17s (id. >r J

ADELAIDE, June 20. Wheat, 2s Sid. Flour, dull, £6 5s to £6 10s. Oats— Algerian, ,2s to 2s 6d; stout white, 2s 6d to 3s. Bran, 91 d. 1 Pollard, lOid to 10}d. Potatoes, £3 ss. Onions, £4 ss.

* ADDINGTON MARKET..

CHRISTCHURCH, June 20. The entries at Addington included 6500 fat sheep, 1000 fat lambs, 1500 store ■ sheep, 321 head cattle and 302 pigs. Fat cattle—The yarding was composed of 230 head, nearly all of which were good useful sorts. Bidding was very keen, and prices advanced fully Is per 1001 b, ranging from 20s to 20s Gd for prime beef, and from 15s to 18s for medium to good. Steers, £5 7s 6ct ‘to -£8 2s 6d; heifers, £4 to £6 15s, and up to £8 15s for an extra prime one. Cows, £3 15s to £7 2s 6d. ‘ , Fat sheep—A heavy entry of all classes. The demand was weaker, and prices dropped 6d to 9d per head for freezing sheep, and Is each, in butchers. Ewes, prime freezers, 17s to 21s Id ; lighter, 15s, 16s; host ewes, 14s to 17s; others, 9s'6d to 13s 6d; merino wethers, 10s to 14sand ewes, 10s. Fat .lambs— Although there were a tew really well finished lines, a great many should have been in the store pens. _ The export buyers were in search of suitable sorts; and even bought some of the. lighter kinds, but inferior were not im demand. ' Prime freezers, 14s to 15s lid; lighter,. 11s 6d to 13s 6d; unfinished, down to 9s 6d. . Store sheep—With the exception of a line of 370 owes at 13s 5d to 13s 7d, the enti*y was mostly of little odd lots. There was a better demand for all sorts • quite up to late rates. Wethers sold gt 12s to 15s. _ ■ _ . " Pigs —There was a better demand for fats, and stores also sold well. ißaconers brought 30s to 42s 6d, equal to old per lb /porkers, 21s 6d to 30s, equal to , 4d- stores, 13s to 19s 6u; suckers and woaners, 5s 3d to 11s 6<l. ,